Summary
The Game Awards 2023 airs tomorrow and while there’s never meant to be any unrealistic expectations about what reveals or announcements might be made, this year’s Game Awards has a chance to be a big one considering how many games are already announced but have not been revealed fully yet. Likewise, many AAA developers have announced that they have multiple games in the works without any further details shared thus far.
Naughty Dog has stated on different occasions that it has multiple projects in the works, for instance, and therefore a reveal for any of those could be imminent withThe Game Awardsbeing the most sought-after stage for such announcements.
There is presently no real reason to assume that Santa Monica will have anything to bring to The Game Awards tomorrow, but recent rumors have suggested aGod of WarDLC or half-sequel could be on the way soon. It may be more reliable to presume that something fromDeath Stranding 2orElden Ringwill be featured at the event, and yetGod of Warcould already have the next installment of its franchise underway, even if it isn’t a full sequel, and it could be ready for Santa Monica to reveal it tomorrow.
God of War’s Rumored Half-Sequel is Primed for a Game Awards Reveal
God of War’s Next Full Sequel is Probably a Long Ways Away
UnlikeDLCs or half-sequels, the idea behind a full sequel now is predicated on an entirely new story, assets, and locations for a franchise’s characters to rummage around in. The boon of half-sequels, then, is that the developer gets to recycle assets and locations to craft another story in far less time than it would take to make a full sequel.
Meanwhile, development might still be ongoing for the full sequel. There is nothing concrete aboutGod of Warhaving a half-sequel or any intermediary installment of the same ilk asMarvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but itmakes sense to have spin-off stories or interconnected side stories with Kratos and Atreus dividing and conquering in the franchise.
God of War Ragnarokonly released a little over a year ago now and it would be surprising to hear Santa Monica already announcing or revealing a full sequel, despite it being inevitable at this point. Instead, aGod of Warhalf-sequel has much more plausibility given the time that’s passed sinceRagnarok, if not a smaller DLC expansion for the sequel.
God of War’s Rumored Half-Sequel Might’ve Been in the Pipeline for Some Time
Because fans would have to wait nearly half a decade for the sequel toRagnarok, Santa Monica and PlayStation might’ve deemed it necessary for development to begin early on a DLC or half-sequel to launch between these primary entries. If so, that could explain whyRagnarok’s abrupt endingseemed so anticlimactic without players getting to know precisely where Atreus would have his pilgrimage.
Similarly, because Kratos is apparently going to stick around in the Norse mythology’s nine realms, a half-sequel would already make sense to follow whatever smaller-scale adventures he embarks upon in a setting the player would be incredibly familiar with now. Atreus leading the next full sequel on his own could seem odd since he’s not the franchise’s titular mascot, and perhaps a half-sequel is in the works to remedy that by giving him a standalone experience before he appears again alongside Kratos.
That said, evenif Santa Monica doesn’t show up to tomorrow’s Game Awardswith anything related toGod of War, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a DLC or half-sequel isn’t in the works. Indeed, what would be more surprising is if Santa Monica arrived with a new IP to announce; however, only a day’s time will tell if any of these revelations come to pass.
God of War Ragnarok
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on an epic and heartfelt journey as Kratos and Atreus struggle with holding on and letting goFrom Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.
